Mitchell Starc Joins 100-Wicket Club Against England in Ashes

Mitchell Starc Joins 100-Wicket Club Against England in Ashes

PERTH, Australia — In a moment that encapsulated the raw drama of the Ashes, Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc etched his name into cricketing immortality on Thursday, claiming his 100th Test wicket against England during the second Test at the Optus Stadium. The left-armer's haul of 4-45 in the first innings—capped by the dismissal of England's talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes for 23—triggered roars from a parched Perth crowd of 35,000, as Australia seized a commanding position in the series. Starc, 35, became only the third Australian after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to breach the century mark against the old enemy, joining an elite pantheon that underscores his enduring menace in the cauldron of Ashes warfare.

The milestone arrived on Day 2 of the rain-interrupted match, with Starc's bouncer—reminiscent of his 2013 Trent Bridge thunderbolts—rushing Stokes into a mistimed pull, gloved to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. As the umpire's finger rose, Starc pumped his fist, helmet off, roaring "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!" to the stands. Captain Pat Cummins, embracing his strike partner, later quipped in the huddle: "Mitch, that's your century—now go get the series." England, slumping to 189 all out, trail by 245 runs after Australia's first-innings 434, built on half-centuries from Usman Khawaja (112) and Travis Head (89). With Starc's figures elevating his career Ashes tally to 100 wickets at an average of 28.45, the Baggy Greens eye a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series, a psychological blow to a touring side already reeling from a 10-wicket Adelaide thrashing.

Starc's journey to this landmark—spanning a decade of fire and fury—mirrors the Ashes' brutal ballet: peaks of glory in 2015's whitewash, troughs of injury in 2019's draw. Under Cummins' astute leadership, Starc has reinvented himself as the enforcer extraordinaire, blending raw pace (clocking 148 kph) with tactical guile. As the series heads to Brisbane for the third Test on December 1, England's coach Brendon McCullum acknowledged the Aussie juggernaut: "Starc's a nightmare; 100 wickets is no fluke—it's ferocity." For India-born Starc—raised in Sydney's northern beaches—this feat transcends stats; it's a symphony of sweat, sacrifice, and subcontinental swagger, cementing his legacy as the modern-age Dennis Lillee.

The Optus cauldron, with its blistering 38°C heat and seaming pink ball under lights, amplified Starc's artistry. His spell dismantled England's middle order: Joe Root lbw to a pearler angling in at 142 kph, Ollie Pope caught behind fending a lifter, and Stokes' fatal flirtation with the hook. Teammates mobbed him at the boundary, with veteran Nathan Lyon draping the Baggy Green over his shoulders. "It's surreal—against England, it's personal," Starc reflected post-play, eyes misty. With 355 career Test wickets overall, Starc's Ashes obsession—fueled by a 2013 debut five-for at The Oval—now places him seventh on the all-time list against the Poms, behind Warne's 195 and McGrath's 157.

As twilight fell on Perth, the milestone sparked global tributes: from Shane Warne's estate ("Mitch embodies the leg-spin spirit in fast-bowling boots") to Brian Lara ("Starc's swing is sorcery"). In a series already billed as "Cummins vs. Stokes Redux," Starc's surge tilts the scales, reminding why the Ashes remains cricket's unyielding urn.

From Sydney Beaches to Ashes Beacon: Starc's Meteoric Trajectory

Mitchell Aaron Starc's ascent is a tale of prodigious talent tempered by tenacity, from the sun-soaked nets of Baildon to the blood-soaked turf of Lord's. Born July 30, 1990, in Baildon, New South Wales, to dentist father Michael and teacher mother Joan—both of Indian descent via his paternal grandfather from Punjab—Starc imbibed cricket's rhythms early. At Marist College North Shore, he captained the U-14s, his left-arm thunderbolts felling stumps with metronomic malice. By 16, NSW selectors whisked him to the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence, where coach Trent Woodhill molded his slingy action into a weapon of war.

First-class debut for NSW in 2010—a 5-62 haul against Tasmania—propelled him to Australia's ODI squad by 2012, but Tests eluded until 2014's Durban tour of South Africa. Yet, the Ashes became his anvil. Debuting at Trent Bridge in 2013 under Clarke's captaincy, Starc's 5-73 in England's first innings—dismissing Cook, Trott, and Bell—signaled intent. Injury niggles—a stress fracture sidelining him for 2015's home Ashes—tested resolve, but his 2015-16 return was rapturous: 32 wickets at 13.18, including a 6-66 at The Gabba that sparked Australia's 4-1 whitewash. "The urn's my oxygen," Starc confided in a 2017 Wisden interview, his 170 kph yorkers a vendetta against English batsmanship.

Injuries—back spasms in 2019's Ashes draw (14 wickets at 38.50)—and fatherhood (daughter Frankie born 2020) humanized the hurler. Yet, under Cummins' 2021 ascension, Starc bloomed anew: the 2023 World Cup's 22 wickets at 16.58, including a hat-trick against Afghanistan, reaffirmed his white-ball wizardry. Red-ball renaissance followed: 2024's Border-Gavaskar series yielded 20 wickets at 22.10, his bouncer barrage bamboozling Australia's nemesis, India.

Stats serenade his supremacy: 355 Test wickets at 27.45, with 18 five-fors; 100 against England alone, eclipsing Brett Lee's 94. Partnerships propel: his 150+ wicket stand with Cummins (since 2021) mirrors McGrath-Warne's alchemy. Off-field, Starc's IPL riches—Rs 24.75 crore with KKR in 2024—fund philanthropy: the Starc Foundation's Sydney cricket academies nurture 500 underprivileged kids annually. Married to jazz singer Alyssa Healy since 2016, Starc's domestic bliss—Healy's 2023 World Cup triumph—fuels his fire. "Family's my follow-through," he quips, a nod to the balance sustaining his blistering bounce.

The Perth Pinnacle: Day-by-Day Dissection of Starc's Spell

Optus Stadium's Day 2 dawned dusty, England's 4-89 at lunch a fragile facade. Starc, rested after Day 1's new-ball burst (1-28), returned at 2:15 p.m., the pink Kookaburra hooping under 40°C glare. His first over—a maiden to Zak Crawley—set the snare: inswing nipping pads, outswingers kissing edges. The third ball of his second over—142 kph inswinger—breached Root's defenses, the former captain's 12 trapped plumb, his 45th Test ton denied. "Root's my white whale; finally harpooned," Starc grinned later.

Pope fell next over: a 145 kph lifter, gloved to Carey, Starc's 98th. Stokes' arrival—England at 7-120—ignited hope, but Starc's tactical tweak—short-pitched barrage—unraveled resolve. The 99th: a 148 kph yorker castling Bairstow; the 100th: that fatal bouncer, Stokes' hook ballooning to Carey. "Milestone magic—pure adrenaline," Starc exhaled, as umpires Aleem Dar and Paul Reiffel converged for the historic nod. His final victim—Mark Wood, bowled by a 141 kph inswinger—sealed 4-45, England's tail folding meekly.

Teammates' testimonies tinged triumph. Cummins: "Mitch's menace is our metronome—100 against England? Iconic." Khawaja: "His roar rivaled the crowd's." England's Stokes, rueful in press: "Starc's the best leftie since Wasim—unplayable when he swings." Broadcaster Mark Nicholas: "Starc's spell was symphony—fury in full flow."

The wicket's optics: replay screens flashing Starc's ledger—100 at 28.45, best 6-66—drew standing ovations. Healy, in the stands, teared up; daughter Frankie waved a mini Baggy Green. Post-match, Cricket Australia unveiled a commemorative cap, No. 100, embroidered with "Ashes Annihilator."

Ashes Animosity: Starc's Storied Rivalry with England

The Ashes, cricket's coliseum since 1882, has been Starc's forge. His 2013 debut—5-73 amid England's 215—hinted at havoc; 2015's home rampage (32 at 13.18) reclaimed the urn with ferocity. 2017-18's away toil (14 at 38.50) taught temperance, but 2019's draw (14 at 38.50) steeled resolve amid Warner's sandpaper saga.

Starc's English quarry: Cook (12 dismissals), Root (10), Stokes (8)—a pantheon felled. His 2021-22 tour (15 at 25.73) under Paine's grit reclaimed the urn; 2023's home defense (19 at 27.10) under Cummins sealed supremacy. Quirks define: his "hat-trick heroics" in 2015's Oval (three in four balls, though not official) and 2023's Lord's bouncer barrage on Brook.

England's retorts: Anderson's 2015 swing symphony (6-47 at Trent Bridge) and Broad's 2019 haul (6-75 at Old Trafford). Yet, Starc's asymmetry endures: 100 wickets to England's pacers' 80 against Oz in the same span. McCullum's Bazball—aggressive audacity—meets Starc's sling: in 2023, his 5-78 at Headingley hobbled the charge.

Legacy lens: Starc joins Warne (195), McGrath (157), Lillee (167), Lindwall (103)—Ashes immortals. Lyon (120) eyes parity; Hazlewood (85) trails. Starc's blueprint: pace with panache, inspiring young slingers like Spencer Johnson.

Tactical Tapestry: Cummins' Captaincy and Starc's Synergy

Pat Cummins' reign—since 2021—has been Starc's silver lining. The duo's 150+ wicket alliance mirrors Border's Border-Gavaskar bonds. Cummins' tactics: Starc's new-ball nectar, short-burst spells (4-5 overs), and death-over demolition. In Perth, Cummins' ploy—Starc from the Members End, angling into right-handers—reaped riches.

Support staff shine: coach Andrew McDonald’s data dives—Hawkeye heatmaps tailoring Starc's inswing—and physio Shaun Coyle's load management, limiting overs to 20 per Test. Nutritionist Jimi Cook's high-carb regimens sustain Starc's 6'6" frame, fueling 140 kph fury.

England's Stokes, mirroring Cummins' aggression, faces asymmetry: Bazball's bravado vs. Starc's bite. McCullum: "Starc's un-Bazballable—adapt or perish." Series stats: Starc's 9-78 in Adelaide's pink-wash set the tone.

Global Glimpses: Tributes and Testimonial Tapestries

Thursday's ton triggered tributes torrent. Warne's family: "Mitch's milestone honors Shane's spin with seam sorcery." McGrath: "100's the gateway; keep charging." Lara: "Starc's swing is subcontinental sorcery—pure poetry."

ICC's Jay Shah: "Aussie excellence eternalized." Healy: "My hero on and off—proud wife, prouder fan." Stokes: "Class act; can't wait for revenge in Brisbane."

Media montage: The Guardian's "Starc's Star Turn"; The Times' "Left-Arm Legacy." Social scrolls: #Starc100 trends with 2 million posts, fan art of Starc as Lillee 2.0.

Horizons Hinted: Starc's Swan Song and Series Sequel

At 35, Starc eyes 2027's retirement—post another Ashes urn. His blueprint: mentor young guns like Scott Boland, captain Australia's 2026 T20 WC defense. Off-field: KKR's IPL coffers, Healy's commentary gigs, foundation's flourishing.

For the Ashes: Brisbane's beckoning—Gabba's green top favors Starc's skid. A 3-0 whitewash? Urn retained; 2-1? History holds. England's remedy: Anderson's autumnal guile, but Starc's spring remains coiled.

In Perth's afterglow, Starc's 100th stands sentinel: a wicket woven from will, a wicket that whispers—Ashes aren't won by urns alone, but by immortals like him.